Vicar's News - 14 March 2021

Laetare Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Lent, takes its name from the Latin word which begins the entrance antiphon (introit) set for that day. Laetare means rejoice, and this Sunday is marked by a relaxation of the penitential character of the Lenten season. In church, decorative flowers may be used, and the organ may be played more fully.

On this Sunday, we look with expectation to the great Solemnity of Easter for which we have been preparing ourselves as a Church during the Lenten season. By its anticipation of the joy of Easter, Laetare Sunday is meant to give us hope and encouragement as we slowly progress towards the Paschal Feast.

Priest may wear rose vestments, the colour rose as a sign of the joy. And indeed it is a great joy Sunday at 10am to celebrate 60 years for Fr Barry Martin’s ordination as a priest.

It is also Mothering Sunday, where we celebrating the women who have nurtured us throughout our lives. In the 16th century, Mothering Sunday was less about mothers and more about church. Back then, people would make a journey to their ‘mother’ church once a year. This might have been their home church, their nearest cathedral or a major parish church in a bigger town. The service which took place at the ‘mother’ church symbolised the coming together of families. This would have represented a significant journey for many.

Another tradition was to allow those working in the fields on wealthy farms and estates in England to have the day off on the fourth Sunday of Lent to visit their mothers and possibly go to church too. This was a variation on the theme of visiting the 'mother' church and was a move towards a more family focussed occasion. Before the days of cars and roads, family get-togethers were far more rare, (and facetime was still a long way off). In some ways this tradition is still alive today as grown up children often visit their parents on mothering Sunday.

Today’s gospel is not about mothers, but rather about Jesus’ encounter with Nicademus, where we see truth and grace in tandem to change the life of Nicodemus forever.

Wedding

We congratulate Tim and Emma who were married here on Saturday.

Lenten Bible Study

Our Lenten study series based on materials prepared by St George’s College in Jerusalem continues. Please join us on-line by Zoom on Thursday mornings from 10-11am here. This week “The Road”.

This week at St Andrew’s

click here to see our calendar of services and events

Choral Evensong this evening

ST. ANDREW’S OPPORTUNITY SHOP 二手店打折销售

SUPER SPECIAL

$2 SALE 所有衣服2刀

ON ALL CLOTHING

WEDNESDAY 星期三和星期四

and

THURSDAY

17th & 18th MARCH

Opening hours: 10am – 3pm

Rosters

来自主任牧师的消息 – 14 March 2021

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这个主日是第四个四旬节，称为Laetare Sunday. 其名称来自拉丁语 Laetare意味着欢乐，这个星期天在教堂里，可以使用装饰花，并且可以充分地演奏风琴。

在这个星期天，我们期待着复活节的，在四旬斋期间我们一直在为自己的教会做准备。通过期待复活节的欢乐，Laetare Sunday的目的是在我们逐步迈入Paschal Feast的过程中给我们带来希望和鼓励。

今天也是Barry Martin牧师按立60周年，这真是一个喜乐的日子。

今天也是母亲星期日，我们感谢在我们一生中养育我们的女性。在16世纪，“母亲节”与母亲无关，而与教会有关。那时，人们每年都会去一次他们的“母亲”教堂。这可能是他们的家庭教堂，最近的大教堂或大城镇中的主要教区教堂。在“母亲”教堂举行的仪式象征着家庭的团聚。对于许多人来说，这将是一次重要的旅程。

另一个传统是允许那些在英格兰富裕农场和庄园从事田野工作的人在四旬期的第四个星期日放假，探望母亲，也可能去教堂。这是“母亲”教堂的主题的变体，是朝着更加以家庭为中心的场合迈进的一步。在开车和上路的日子之前，家庭聚会很少见了（面对面的距离还很遥远）。从某种意义上说，这种传统在今天仍然存在，因为成年子女经常在母亲节那天拜访父母。

今天的福音书与母亲无关，而是关乎耶稣与尼哥底母的相遇，在那里我们看到了真理和恩典永远变了尼哥底母的生活。